Oh boy: I don't know if the long silence since the last game is because the party defeated the legate and we've only got one epilogue session left, or a product of Bilon making a desperate draw from the Deck of Many Things and transforming the world into nothing but shrimp.

Oh boy: I don't know if the long silence since the last game is because the party defeated the legate and we've only got one epilogue session left, or a product of Bilon making a desperate draw from the Deck of Many Things and transforming the world into nothing but shrimp.

-Autistic Angel

Amazingly it is neither. When we ended, the Ice Witch was down, as was one of the lionguards. The two remaining lionguards are oh so close to death. The Githyanki has yet to be damaged, and the Legate and his lion are not bloodied, but damaged. Things were pretty dire, Jett was nearly torn in two by the lion and legate, but some timely healing by Kriv and Bilon got everyone back on their feet and at the moment we are ok. There was much debate about pulling a card, but we held off.

Sorry for the lack of post-game write up. The only thing I would add to Arkon's account is that the Legate seems rather enraged since Jett charmed his pet lion into tearing the head off his icy ally. (aka Coup-de-grace actions are definitely a possibility!)

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Sorry for the lack of post-game write up. The only thing I would add to Arkon's account is that the Legate seems rather enraged since Jett charmed his pet lion into tearing the head off his icy ally. (aka Coup-de-grace actions are definitely a possibility!)

...

.........

I really didn't need to hear that. *runs*

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Hey everyone, I'm afraid I can't make it tonight. Winter storm Nero basically suffocated our state over the last six says, and my ISP is one of the parts still waiting for resuscitation. We get an IP address, but the connection is so spotty and the bandwidth so low that even this post is going up via aircard.

Sorry for the late notice -- I kept hoping it'd get fixed. Sock the legate good for me!

And our heroes are once again victorious, though their scurrilous DM came within 2 hit points of permanently slaying the one character who's player was absent due to natural disaster!

Loot and recap below:

Spoiler for Hiden:

The Prepotency Lionguard has been slain. The Legate’s stone mount has been disabled and recovered by the party. Legate Valoratus has been captured, his right arm hewn from his body, and is inhabiting the dungeon beneath Fort Scale. Unfortunately, it seems as if an unpleasant creature had been imprisoned within his sword and is now free in the Prepotency camp. None of our heroes have seen it directly, but it has apparently destroyed an iron golem with ease. The bound, and surprisingly pleasant, Suun Valoratus claims it is a mighty dragolich he defeated and bound to his will years earlier. The fallen general seems convinced that you will eventually ransom him and appears to be cooperating, having already agreed to discuss freeing your lands. Whether or not this is a ruse remains to be seen.

5000 xp each

The following is an inventory of the Legate's possessions:

Falsefire Pistol, Rare, level 24, 525,000 gpCounts as hand crossbow for feat and proficiency purposesDoes not require reloading or ammunition, but on an attack roll of 1 an internal mechanism has jammed. It takes a standard action thievery check (difficulty 30) to clear the weapon before it may be used again.

Ring of Adaptation, Level 23 UncommonThis silvery metal loop is engraved with Primordial runes, protecting you from elemental effects.Ring Slot 425,000 gpPropertyGain a +5 item bonus to Endurance checks to endure extreme weather.Power Daily (Immediate Interrupt)Use this power when you would take acid, cold, fire, lightning, or thunder damage. Take half damage from that damage type until the end of your next turn.If you've reached at least one milestone today, this power lasts until the end of the encounter.

Albusinus the MightyWondrous Item, Figurine of Wondrous Power, 225,000 gp , RarePower (Conjuration) Daily (Standard Action)Use this figurine to conjure Albusinus. As a free action, the conjurer may spend a healing surge to banish Albusinus if Albusinus is reduced to zero hit points. If banished in this manner, Albusinus may not be summoned again for 48 hours.

Traits – Unwilling servant – If Albusinus does not like his summoner, he may banish himself as a free action if reduced to 50 or fewer hit points. If banished in this manner, he may not be summoned again for 48 hours.

300 gp75 silverPouch with 30000 worth of residiuum2 scrolls of the ritual Sending.

I'll be sending around a scheduling email at some point in the next few days, since we already know at least one player can't make the next regularly scheduled session. In the meantime, the interrogation of the Legate can continue should the party so desire.

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So obviously, the dracolich is an issue, but back to the negotiations/interrogation, Kriv will ask the Legate rather directly about how much power the legate has in actually making good on anything we would negotiate...does the Legate have enough sway to end the war, or give back lands.

So obviously, the dracolich is an issue, but back to the negotiations/interrogation, Kriv will ask the Legate rather directly about how much power the legate has in actually making good on anything we would negotiate...does the Legate have enough sway to end the war, or give back lands.

Suun goes on to tell his interrogators that though he can not simply take his forces and leave, he could likely convince his Emperor that certain parts of what used to be the Tiam-Krey province are too dangerous or too worthless to hold. "I was sent here, as was my sniveling predecessor, to secure and restore Scaleport, to secure and loot the remains of the city of Tiam-Krey, and to pacify the locals. That last part is most likely the bit that concerns you the most."

He writhes uncomfortably for his bonds for a brief moment, then continues.

"Pacifying whatever natives we find in a region set for Reclamation serves many purposes, but nearly all of them could be accomplished without further bloodshed. If I were to tell the Emperor that everything West of say, the Mist's Woods, was a useless stretch of badland inhabited only by creatures most foul, he'd likely believe me. Of course, he'd expect me to extract a certain amount of loot and levies from even a blighted area per annum, but if I were to accidentally underestimate just how many were living in these lands, why, that would hardly be my fault, would it? I'd likely be able to provide the expected funds and men myself, from coin unfortunately missed by the Tithers. Your peoples could go on with your sheep, or whatever it is you do out in the wilds, largely unmolested. "

"Of course," he adds with a smile, "if you are feeling very, very ambitious, and we all aren't consumed by a towering monstrosity from beyond the grave, my freedom could be even more valuable to you. If we could negotiate a true peace here, it would not be without precedent were I to elevate some natives to positions of power. You could rule the daily affairs of the province as you saw fit, as long as your methods did not interfere with trade and I maintained control of the Legions." He then stares Kriv directly in the eye. "Though I have no ability to suspend the Penance, and your kind would still be little more than a trade good, I would have great leeway in how vigorously I pursued those dragonborn living in these lands. If none were sent to the damned dwarves on a particular year, who is to say it is because I've been lax in my duties?" He grins from ear to ear. "No one who wants to keep their bloody head, that's who!"

He then goes on about the various benefits to both of these courses of action. Improved trade, civilization and technology, secure roads, personal wealth for the group, etc. The party's general consensus (aka Passive Insight) is that he is purposefully overestimating how easy it would be for him to enact either of these schemes, but he's not outright lying. Bilon and The Monk are sure the prisoner is relatively disgusted by your band, Kriv in particular, but likely prizes profit over personal vengeance.

« Last Edit: February 20, 2013, 03:38:20 AM by kadnod »

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Kriv is not keen on the idea of these plans...He would rather see the Legate be tried in a court, the fashion of old Osradin, for his war crimes.

Too bad we don't have such a thing.

And you know Jett's thought. But he won't say anything without deciding with the others first.

True, at the moment we don't, but something could be formed by the leaders of the tribes...the main issue here is that this does nothing to end the Penance...Kriv's race will still be hunted down like animals...so sure it sounds like an appealing offer to any race, other than mine.

"So Legate...while I do not believe it is in the best interest of my people to go along with this, I can also understand the concept of the greater good. That said, I have a few other questions...how much sway will you actually have with the emperor, now that you have one armor, and have lost the primary source of your power? How do we know your emperor won't see you as a failure and simply remove you? Secondly, what about the crystal beings, the ones who communicate telepathically throughout your empire, how will you keep them from betraying this agreement?"

Bilon doesn't know what to do. He feels that it is unlikely that the Legate's promises will be kept. On the other axe, capturing the Legate is a miraculous thing. At what point are we simply pushing our luck too far? What can we actually do to keep the Preps out?

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If the road home crosses any landscape features that include words like "forgotten," "void," "razorthorn," "shadowmist," or "doom," then I vote that we take a nap first.

"So Legate...while I do not believe it is in the best interest of my people to go along with this, I can also understand the concept of the greater good. That said, I have a few other questions...how much sway will you actually have with the emperor, now that you have one armor, and have lost the primary source of your power? How do we know your emperor won't see you as a failure and simply remove you? Secondly, what about the crystal beings, the ones who communicate telepathically throughout your empire, how will you keep them from betraying this agreement?"

"Bah, the Emperor. Why would he want to believe I have failed?" replies Suun. "Because I've lost an arm? Damn it man, that makes my legend even more grander! I've literally risked life and limb for his glory! He'll throw a fantastic parade dedicated to my triumph over the horrid beasts and fierce barbarians of this land!"

"Failed?" he laughs. "Oh, no. The only failure here would be if we fail to seize this opportunity! And as for those jewel-encrusted traitors the Opti, they've been strangely uncooperative as of late. It's almost as if they've decided they need no longer fear me. But this can be rectified. With hammers, clamps and jewel-saws, if need be."

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There are many abandoned rooms in the drafty fort and the party finds plenty of places to rest. Unfortunately, their respite is cut short by shouts coming from the top of the keep. New crises have arisen as the group attempted to recover. Confusion abounds as several different nervous warriors give you differing reports of what is occurring at different points around the city, but this is what you can gather:

1) Ryla's lead most of her apprentices and several warriors who had been guarding the Fort to the Southgate about an hour ago. Something's gone wrong with your druid's magical defenses there.

2) A mobile, towering iron statue is currently trying to pound the Northgate into dust. Sersha, Kiln and the gate's other defenders are slowing it down, but have been unable to stop it as of yet.

3) Your patrols near the docks have not reported in for 2 hours. Suhvob has taken a squad of his minotaurs to investigate.

4) There are still Barghests loose in the city. Their howls can be heard sporadically at seemingly random locations throughout the city. Barger took a mixed group of Mist Warriors and Halflings to hunt the beasts down about 3 hours ago, but your allies have yet to return.

The party has had a short rest. In order to get an extended rest, you would need to gather their strength in a secure location for another 2 hours at least. You also have allies in the Fort that you could send to investigate or support your other companions, including Gruhef, the party that assaulted the Prepotency granary, and 20 Mistmen.

What do you do?

Edit - confused my own NPCs up in point 2. Ryla is with her apprentices, Sersha is fighting the Golem.

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Can five murderous vagabonds heroes save their world from a roman empire knockoff the forces of evil? Apparently so! Find out how they did it in the only best D&D game in General Analog Gaming!

I don't remember the exact condition of my character, but he can't sit idle for another two hours with all these crises breaking out around the city.

His vote is to hope Ryla and her apprentices can handle whatever's happening at the Southgate, assume the people of Scaleport are sensible enough to stay inside and lock their doors against the prowling barghests, and go try to stop the iron statue at the Northgate. It's the most definable, immediate threat to the city and its defenses.

I don't remember the exact condition of my character, but he can't sit idle for another two hours with all these crises breaking out around the city.

His vote is to hope Ryla and her apprentices can handle whatever's happening at the Southgate, assume the people of Scaleport are sensible enough to stay inside and lock their doors against the prowling barghests, and go try to stop the iron statue at the Northgate. It's the most definable, immediate threat to the city and its defenses.

-Autistic Angel

I agree, except I think it's time we use some of our reserve squads (like the aforementioned Gruhef, the Mistmen, etc) to clear out the Barghests. They're too random to be left out and about on their own, especially inside the city proper like they are now. But we, the players, definitely need to head towards #2 as it sounds like the most severe threat right now.

Here's to hoping that Ryla and Suhvob can take care of their own 'little' problems, at least for now. ...I hope.

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